Chain jacks or windlasses are typically used to move heavy weight. One type of windlass, mooring windlasses, are used to pull-in or pay-out mooring lines to moor offshore vessels. Offshore mooring systems are typically used to maintain offshore structures in position (i.e., on station) within specified tolerances. Offshore structures, such as floating production, drilling or construction platforms or spar buoys, generally are moored in a desired location through the use of mooring lines (e.g., chains or cables) secured between the offshore structure and anchors on the ocean floor. Mooring systems operate to provide restoring forces that act against environmental forces (e.g., wind, waves and currents) that move offshore structures out of position (i.e., off station).
Enhanced control over the positioning of mooring lines may correspondingly enhance control over the positioning of associated offshore structures.